Irish flour is very soft and is difficult for baking yeast-leavened breads, hence the development of a bread using baking soda as in this Irish Soda Bread Recipe.
Soda bread would traditionally be baked on a hot cast-iron griddle over an open peat fire. The griddled soda bread would be cooked into a round with an indentation marking the quarters; each quarter when broken off, hot and warm is called a farl.
Today, the bread is baked in the oven with consistent results; a light hand is still important though.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1 lb 2 oz/500g wholegrain wheat flour
- 1 ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 18 fl oz/500ml buttermilk
Preparation:
Heat the oven to 200°C/400°F/Gas 6
- In a large bowl, mix together the flour, salt, and bicarbonate of soda. Add the buttermilk and stir to form a loose dough.
- Lightly dust the work surface with flour and turn out the dough. Knead the dough gently until smooth.
- Shape the dough into a ball and flatten to roughly 5cm/ 2in thick. Using a sharp knife lightly slash the surface of the dough in the shape of a cross.
- Place the dough on a greased, baking sheet and bake in the oven for 30-35 mins until well risen and a light brown color.
- Leave to cool.
